Battery charging system and method

• US 20020070705A1
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Buchanan, William D., Mohos, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US09/881,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging system for simultaneously charging the batteries of a plurality of battery powered vehicles. The charging includes one or more DC-DC power converters having one or more charging ports configured to plug into the batteries. The DC-DC power converters are each configured to selectively connect to more than one charging port to selectively provide for higher port power levels. The DC-DC power converters connect to an AC rectifier through a DC bus. The AC rectifier connects to an AC power source having a limited power rating. The AC charging system also has a controller that controls the operation of the DC-DC power converters such that the total power draw on the AC rectifier does not exceed the power rating. The system is further configured such that the DC-DC power converters can selected drain batteries to obtain power to charge other batteries, allowing for batteries to be cycled.

Claims

1. A charging system for charging a plurality of batteries using power from a utility at a power level not exceeding a maximum power level, comprising:

a plurality of battery ports, each battery port being configured to electrically connect to at least one of the plurality of batteries;

a utility port configured to electrically connect to the utility, and to provide power from the utility to the plurality of battery ports; and

a system controller configured to control the power distribution between the utility port and the plurality of battery ports, wherein the controller controls the power distribution such that the plurality of batteries are charged using power from the utility at a power level not exceeding the maximum power level.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the utility port is a poly-phase utility port.

3. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the utility port is configured to receive power from utilities at a plurality of power levels.

4. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the utility port is configured to provide power to the plurality of battery ports via a distribution bus, and wherein the distribution bus is configured to carry power being transferred between the plurality of battery ports.

5. The charging system of claim 1, and further comprising a first charging module, wherein the plurality of battery ports include a first battery port and a second battery port that receive power from the utility port via the first charging module, the first charging module comprising:

a first power converter connecting to the first battery port;

a second power converter connecting to the second battery port;

a crossover switch switchably connecting the first power converter to the second battery port; and

a module controller configured to control the operation of the crossover switch and establish the power distribution between the first and second battery ports.

6. The charging system of claim 5, wherein:

the first power converter of the first charging module connects to the first battery port through a first connecting switch of the first charging module;

the second power converter of the first charging module connects to the second battery port through a second connecting switch of the first charging module; and

the module controller of the first charging module is configured to control the operation of the first and second connecting switches and establish the power distribution between the first and second battery ports.

7. The charging system of claim 5, wherein

the first charging module is configured to receive DC power from the utility port;

the first power converter of the first charging module is a DC-DC power converter; and

the second power converter of the first charging module is a DC-DC power converter.

8. The charging system of claim 5, wherein the module controller for the first charging module is separate from the system controller, and wherein the system controller and the module controller for the first charging module communicate to determine the operation of the crossover switch and the first and second connecting switches.

9. The charging system of claim 5, and further comprising a second charging module, wherein the utility port is configured to provide power to a third battery port and a fourth battery port of the plurality of battery ports via the second charging module, the second charging module including:

a first power converter connecting to the third battery port;

a second power converter connecting to the fourth battery port;

a first switch switchably connecting the first power converter to the fourth battery port; and

a module controller configured to control the operation of the first switch and establish the power distribution between the first and second battery ports.

10. The charging system of claim 9, wherein:

the utility port is configured to provide DC power to each of the charging modules via a distribution bus;

the first power converter of the first charging module is a DC-DC power converter;

the second power converter of the first charging module is a DC-DC power converter;

the first power converter of the second charging module is a DC-DC power converter; and

the second power converter of the second charging module is a DC-DC power converter.

11. The charging system of claim 10, and further comprising an AC rectifier configured to receive AC current from the utility port and configured to provide DC current to the distribution bus.

12. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery ports include a first battery port, a second battery port, a third battery port and a fourth battery port, and further comprising:

a distribution bus;

an AC rectifier configured to receive AC power from the utility port and configured to provide DC power to the distribution bus; and

a first charging module and a second charging module, each charging module receiving power from the distribution bus, wherein

each charging module includes a first DC-DC power converter, a second DC-DC power converter, a first crossover switch, and a module controller,

the first power converter of the first charging module is connected to the first battery port,

the second power converter of the first charging module is connected to the second battery port,

the first crossover switch of the first charging module switchably connects the first power converter of the first charging module to the second battery port,

the first power converter of the second charging module is connected to the third battery port,

the second power converter of the second charging module is connected to the fourth battery port, and

the first crossover switch of the second charging module switchably connects the first power converter of the second charging module to the fourth battery port.

13. A method of charging a plurality of batteries using power from a utility at a power level not exceeding a maximum power level, comprising:

electrically connecting the plurality of batteries to a plurality of battery ports, wherein the plurality of battery ports connect to a utility port configured to electrically connect to the utility and provide power from the utility to the plurality of battery ports; and

controlling the power distribution between the utility port and the plurality of battery ports such that the plurality of batteries are charged using power from the utility at a power level not exceeding the maximum power level.